Dear Editor – As one of the rock-bottom tax payers of Solomon Islands, I would be very grateful if you could publish this article in your paper.
There is a saying which goes like this, “you are what you eat.”
People have to eat to live. In order for all the citizens of Solomon Islands to enjoy eating they need to have robust food apparatus.
Mouth and its related structures are the main food apparatus which God gave all the people on this earth.
In order for these food apparatus to be sound, people must know how to do effective tooth brushing.
Also there must be in place a well setup backup dental services to treat the existing prevalent dental diseases in this country.
Solomon Islands is blessed with qualified dentists and dental Para-medical officers. It is sad to know that this dental mouth – pieces of this country had carried out their clinical duties under duress for so many years.
Once upon a time, they did nomal dental services. They moved from one place to another place.
For example after the demolishing of the national dental clinic which was full of asbestoses, they moved to the isolated ward, then from the isolated ward, they moved to the inter-zone building then from this building they moved to the mid-wifery building at the national referral hospital.
These buildings are not designed as proper dental clinics. Common sense understands that the dental staff are performing their duties with lots of difficulties.
The public must know that there are two dental clinics which are owned by Honiara City Council.
One is in Kukum Clinic and the other one is in White River clinic. I understand that these two dental clinics cannot meet the high demand of the dental services among the people of Honiara.
False teeth services are not rendered in these two dental clinics. This is 2014 and enough is enough to coerce our qualified dentist and dental Para-medical officers to perform their clinical duties in non conducive working environments.
To tell the truth, I can say that dental infrastructure in Honiara is very, very poor compared to dental infrastructure in Gizo, Western Provinces.
Oral health is the expectation of all the citizens of Solomon Islands. Tooth brushing can prevent dental disease, but what about the current dental diseases which so prevalent in this country?
These dental diseases can be treated as early as possible if this country has a new national dental clinic.
If every 50 constituency has their own dental clinics in the near future they can assist to rectify the prevalent dental diseases. Many dentists are coming back from their studies every year.
I believe that if the government of the day, put the dental services as number one priority, then there will be less diseases in Solomon Islands.
Mouth is the gate of the entire body. Mouth and its related structures make us beautiful human beings.
Mouth and its related structures need our tender loving care.
In conclusion, I am appealing to the current director of dental services and to the chief dental officer of Honiara City, dental division, to provide conducive working environment for their officers rather than thinking heavily on the dental services to be carried out.
This is to avoid occupational health diseases and injuries to be occurred among dentists and dental Para-medical officers.
Health is not everything but without health everything else is nothing.
Solomon Islands need a very nice national dental clinic so that primary, secondary and tertiary dental services can be rendered. Smile Solo Smile
Channel Xavier
Honiara